Saving Seafood

NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Revision of Maine State Waters Scallop Exemption Program

August 5, 2015 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Today, NOAA Fisheries announces a proposed rule that would allow vessels with both Maine commercial licenses and Federal Northern Gulf of Maine scallop permits to continue fishing in Maine’s state waters once the Federal total allowable catch in this area is harvested.

Maine requested this exemption as part of the Scallop State Water Exemption Program, which allows Federal permit holders to fish in the state waters scallop fishery on a more equitable basis where Federal and state laws are inconsistent.

The Program specifies that a state with a scallop fishery may be eligible for state waters exemptions from specific regulations if it has a scallop conservation program that does not jeopardize the objectives of the Atlantic Sea Scallop FMP.

We have determined that Maine qualifies for this exemption, and that allowing this exemption would have no impact on the effectiveness of Federal management measures for the scallop fishery overall in this area.

Maine requested this exemption only for Northern Gulf of Maine permit holders. Limited access, individual fishing quota, and incidental scallop vessels would still be required to stop fishing for scallops in state waters of the Northern Gulf of Maine if the Federal catch allocation is reached.

Read the proposed rule as published in the Federal Register, which is open for public comment through September 4.

Submit your comments online through Regulations.gov or by mail to:

John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator
NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional Office
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930

Please mark the outside of the envelope: Comments on Atlantic Sea Scallop Proposed Rule.

Questions? Contact Jennifer Goebel, Regional Office, at 978-281-9175 or Jennifer.Goebel@noaa.gov.

Gulf of Maine Research Institute Releases Information About FishTank Workshop

July 27, 2015 — The following was released by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute:

The Gulf of Maine Research Institute will be facilitating a FishTank Workshop entitled “Taking Stock: A Workshop to Collaboratively Improve Assessments”, taking place on November 9 & 10, 2015 at the Radisson Hotel Plymouth Harbor, 180 Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360.

Registration starts, August 1 and can be done on-line at http://www.gmri.org/fisheries-convening/fish-tank/register 

A little background:

The most recent Fish Tank series (http://www.gmri.org/fisheries-convening/fish-tank/meeting-materials)  brought together commercial and recreational fishermen, scientists, and policy representatives from across the region to spark productive conversations and brainstorm ideas to improve the increasingly complex stock assessment process and data streams feeding into the assessment. The goals of these sessions included:

·         identifying potential data gaps in the Gulf of Maine cod stock assessment,

·         formulating industry-led research questions to address data gaps through collaborative research or the use of fishery-dependent data, 

·         sharing ideas with NOAA Fisheries on improving communications around stock assessments.

From these meetings, it is our intent through this workshop to develop plans to take action on industry recommendations, discuss how data from research projects can be integrated into the stock assessment process, and determine best approaches to obtain funding for project ideas. We also hope to have panel sessions to showcase other initiatives in the region around improving stock assessments, as well as results from relevant collaborative research projects in the region that may inform stock assessments.

MASSACHUSETTS: School district signs up for local seafood

July 14, 2015 — CHICOPEE, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts public school system is the first school district to sign on to a Maine science institute’s seafood certification system.

A spokesman for Gulf of Maine Research Institute in Portland, Maine, announced the partnership with the Chicopee district on Tuesday. The institute says the agreement means the district’s 7,800 students will be able to eat seafood that is responsibly harvested and traceable to the Gulf of Maine.

Chicopee sustainability coordinator Madison Walker says the move supports the region’s food economy. She says it will also help teach students about the fishing industry and marine ecosystems.

Read the full story from the Associated Press at the Boston Herald 

 

UMASS’ SMAST SHARES A $335,000 GRANT FROM SCIENTIFIC CONSORTIUM

July 10, 2015 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — Fishermen will be directly involved in a research project announced by the Northeast Consortium, a University of New Hampshire-based organization that fosters collaborative research.

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth’s School for Marine Science and Technology will share a $335,000 contract to support research into the spawning habits of cod on Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine.

The work is under contract from the New England Fishery Management Council, which in recent years has driven the decisions to virtually shut down the cod fishing in those areas.

The research at SMAST will include data from interviews with current or retired fishermen who fish for cod on Georges Bank.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times